Air seal for adjustable motor mount



April 3, 1962 J. H. SMITH 3,027,736

AIR SEAL FOR ADJUSTABLE MOTOR MOUNT Filed March 16, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR.

BY QMmHJmm W,W M- W ATTORNEYS April 3, 1962 J. H. SMITH AIR SEAL FORADJUSTABLE MOTOR MOUNT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1961 INVENTOR.filth/H Smifill/ BY amazw & ATTORNEYS April 3, 1962 J. H. SMITH AIR SEALFOR ADJUSTABLE MOTOR MOUNT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 16, 1961INVENTOR.

176k Smith ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice 3,@27,736 PatentedApr. 3, 1962 Ohio Filed Mar. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 96,144 9 Cim'rns. (Cl.62-423) The invention relates to air conditioner apparatus and moreparticularly to an air seal for adjustable motor mounts for use ineither pressure or vacuum air conditioner housings.

Air conditioner apparatus of the character referred to include ahousing, a motor located thereon with a fan connected directly to theshaft thereof and located adjacent to an opening in the housing whichmay be either an air inlet or outlet opening, depending upon whether thefan blows air through the opening or sucks air therethrough.

Heat exchanger coils are located in one wall of the housing so that airmay be either blown or sucked therethrough, as the case may be, for thepurpose of cooling the air. A compressor located in the housing isoperatively connected to the coils and is driven by the fan motor bymeans of a belt or belts located over pulleys upon the shafts of themotor and compressor.

In order to compensate for any stretching in these belts, the motor ismounted upon a vertically adjustable platform with means for adjustingthe same to compensate for any elongation in the belts.

In such air conditioner apparatus as is now in general use, thisadjustment of the motor to compensate for elongation in the belt changesthe position of the fan relative to the inlet or outlet opening in thehousing, causing a disadvantage in the operation thereof. When theposition of the fan relative to this opening is changed all of the airpassing through the opening is not passed through the fan or vice versa.

Furthermore, in air conditioner apparatus of this character, the housingcomprises a single chamber within which all of the apparatus, includingthe motor, fan, compressor and coils are located. The entire interior ofthis chamber is either pressurized or vacuumized, depending upon whetherthe fan is sucking or blowing air therethrough.

For this reason, it is necessary that the fan motor be shut off in orderto make any necessary repairs or adjustments of the apparatus within thechamber. With the fan thus shut off, it is very difficult to properlyadjust the apparatus, as such adjustments should be made under actualworking conditions.

It is an object of the invention to provide an air seal for theadjustable motor mount, which will overcome the above dificulties invertically adjusting the motor to compensate for elongation in thebelts.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thischaracter in which a ring or hollow cylinder surrounding the fan islocated through and connected to a plate slidably mounted in theadjacent end wall of the cabinet, said ring being connected to theadjustable base or platform for the motor, the ring forming the inlet oroutlet opening, as the case may be, so that the same is always in properalignment with the fan regardless of the adjusted position thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter referred to in which a seal is provided for the slidable plateconnected to the ring.

It is also an object of the invention to provide air conditionerapparatus in which a transverse partition divides the same into twochambers, the improved air seal for adjustable motor mount being locatedin this partition wall, one chamber containing the motor, fan andcompressor and the other chamber containing only the coil.

Only the chamber containing the coils will thus be either pressurized orvacuumized, as the case may be, whereby the motor may be operated whilenecessary adjustments or repairs are made to the motor or compressor,thus permitting the adjustments to be made under actual workingconditions.

The above objects, apparent from the drawings and following description,may be attained, the above described difliculties overcome and theadvantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction,arrangement and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprisethe present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative ofthe best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying theprinciple, being set forth in detail in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In general terms the invention may be briefly described as comprising ahousing within which are located a motor, a fan connected directly tothe motor shaft, and a compressor operatively connected to the motor bybelt means located over pulleys mounted upon the shafts of the motor andcompressor.

The motor is mounted upon a vertically adjustable base, and a ring orhollow cylinder surrounding the fan is rigidly supported upon thisadjustable base. A plate is slidably mounted in the adjacent end wall ofthe cabinet and provided with an opening forming either an inlet oroutlet as the case may be.

The ring or hollow cylinder surrounding the fan is located through thisopening and rigidly attached to the sliding plate, whereby verticaladjustment of the motor to compensate for elongation of the belt meanswill cause the sliding plate to move in unison therewith so that theinlet or outlet opening therein always remains in proper alignment withthe fan regardless of the adjusted position thereof.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a transversepartition within the cabinet, dividing the interior of the cabinet intotwo chambers, the motor, fan and compressor being located in one chamberand the coils being located in the other chamber.

The improved air seal device is located in the partition wall, wherebyonly the chamber containing the coils will be either pressurized orvacuumized, depending upon whether the fan is sucking or blowing airtherethrough. This construction permits adjustment of the motor orcompressor while the motor is operating, so that adjustments may be madeunder actual working conditions.

Having thus briefly described the invention, reference is now made tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an air conditionerapparatus provided with the improved air seal for the adjustable motormount;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the housing showing the slidable plate throughwhich the fan ring is located;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3, FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse, horizontal section on the line 4-4,FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the improved air sealfor adjustable motor mount located in a transverse partition walldividing the housing into two chambers, only one of which is pressurizedor vacuumized.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, in which similar numerals refer to similarparts throughout, the housing for the air conditioner apparatus may bemounted upon a base, indicated generally at 1 and comprisinglongitudinal and transverse rectangular tubular members 2 and 3.

The housing comprises a frame formed of the corner uprights 4,intermediate uprights and longitudinal and transverse top members 6 and7 respectively, all of which may be formed of square metal tubing asindicated in the drawings.

A transversely disposed frame member 8 is connected to the cornermembers 4 at one end of the housing, at points intermediate the upperand lower ends thereof, and longitudinally disposed intermediate framemembers 9 and it may extend between the central upright 5 and adjacentcorner uprights 4.

A transversely disposed frame member 11 is connected at opposite ends tothe top member 6, at the upper end of the intermediate uprights 5. Abottom wall 12 is located upon the base members 2 and 3, and top panels1'3 are connected to the top frame members 6, 7 and 11.

Side panels 14 are connected to the uprights 4 and 5, the top framemembers 6 and the intermediate longitudinal frame members 9 and it), anda panel 15, at one end of the housing, is connected to the transverseframe member 8 and the adjacent upright frame members 4 and transversetop member 7.

The apparatus within the housing includes the motor 16 which is mountedupon the vertically adjustable base or platform 17, hinged at one end asshown at 17'. At the other end of the platform an offset flange 18 isprovided, through which are located adjusting screws 19 cooperating withthe flanged member 20, by means of which the platform 17 and the motor16 carried thereon may be vertically adjusted around the hinge point17'.

A fan 21 is fixed upon the shaft 22 of the motor and rotates within thering or hollow cylinder 23, the blades of the fan having only suflicientclearance within the interior of the cylinder to permit free rotation ofthe fan.

The ring 23 is located through an opening 24 in a flat metal plate 25and fixed thereto, as by welding, as indicated at 26. The plate 25 isslidably mounted in the adjacent end of the housing frame, between theadjacent upright frame members 4 and angular guides 27 and 28 attachedto and spaced from the adjacent upright frame members 4 and theintermediate transverse frame member 8.

A grill 29 may be mounted upon the outer end of the ring 23, which formsthe inlet or outlet opening, as the case may be, for the interior of thehousing. The ring 23 is supported from the base or platform 17 for themotor by means of a pair of longitudinally disposed bars 30 connected tothe platform as by the upright flanges 31 and bolts 32 and connected tothe lower exterior portion of the ring 23 as by welding, as indicated at33.

With this construction, it will be seen that as the motor is adjustedvertically within the housing, the ring 23 will be moved in unisontherewith, the plate 25 attached to the ring sliding between the framemembers 4 and 8 and the guides 27 and 28, providing a seal in alladjusted positions of the ring 23.

A compressor 35 is shown mounted upon a shelf 36, supported upon theintermediate longitudinal frame members 9. The compressor is adapted tobe driven by the motor 16 through V-belts 37 located around the pulleys38 and 39 mounted upon the motor shaft 22 and the compressor shaft 40.

As the motor is adjusted vertically within the housing to compensate forany stretch in the belts 37, the ring 23, forming the inlet or outletopening, as the case may be, will be moved with .the motor so that atall times it will be improper alignment with the fan, while the slidingplate 25, attached to the ring 23, sliding between the frame members 4and 3 and the guides 27 and 28, will provide a seal for this end of thehousing, regardless of the adjustedposition of the motor and ring.

Located within the other end of the housing is a conventionalarrangement of heat exchange coils, indicated generally at 41,operatively connected to the compressor 35 in any usual and well knownmanner (not shown).

The usual vanes 42 are connected to the coils 41 so that there will be arapid exchange of heat between the same and air being blown or suckedthrough the coils, depending upon whether the fan 21 is arranged forblowing or sucking air.

In FIG. 5 is shown a modification of the invention in which the housingmay be divided by a transverse partition wall into two chambers. Theimproved air seal for the adjustable motor mount is located in thispartition wall. Only the coil is located in the chamber of the housingwhich may be pressurized or vacuumized, as the case may be.

The motor and compressor are located in the other chamber, which isneither pressurized nor vacuumized. This permits operation of the motorwhile adjustments are made to the same or to the compressor.

In this form of the invention the base, frame members and wall panelsmay be of the same construction as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the samereference numerals are used to indicate these parts.

A transverse partition wall 45, attached to the intermediate uprightframe members 5, divides the interior of the housing into the air-tightpressurized or vacuumized chamber 46 and the motor and compressorchamber 47, which is neither pressurized nor vacuumized.

The motor 16a may be of the same construction as the motor shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, but the position of the motor is reversed so that theshaft 22a thereof is disposed toward the transverse partition wallrather than toward the adjacent end of the housing as in FIG. 1.

The base or platform 17a of the motor may be of the same construction asshown in FIGS. 1 to 4, being hinged at one end as above described andhaving the offset flange 18a at its other end, through which are locatedthe adjusting screws 1% cooperating with the flanged member 20a by meansof which the platform and motor may be vertically adjusted around thehinge point in the manner above described.

A fan 21a is fixed upon the shaft 22a of the motor and rotates withinthe ring or hollow cylinder 23a. This ring is located through an opening24a in the slidable metalv plate 25a and welded or otherwise connectedthereto as shown at 26a.

The plate 25a is slidably mounted beneath the partition 45, between theintermediate upright frame members 5 and the intermediate transverseframe member 5a, and the angular guides 27a and 28a, attached to andspaced from said upright frame members 5 and transverseframe member 5arespectively.

The ring 23a is supported from the base or platform 17a of the motor bymeans of the longitudinally disposed bars 30a connected to the platform,as by the upright flanges 31a and bolts 32a, and connected to the lowerexterior portion of the ring 23a as shown and described with referenceto the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

A compressor 35a is mounted upon a shelf 36a supbers 9, the compressor,however, being reversed in position from that shown in FIG. 1. Thecompressor is. adapted to be driven by the motor through V-belts 37alocated around the pulleys 38a and 39a mounted upon the motor shaft 22aand the compressor shaft 40a respectively.

The motor may be adjusted vertically within the housing to compensatefor anystretch in the belts, in the same manner as above described, thering 23a forming the inlet or outlet, as the case may be, to theair-tight chamber 46.

In the same manner as above described, when the motor is adjustedvertically, the ring will be moved therewith so that at all times itwill be in proper alignment with thefan, while the sliding plate 25a,attachedto the ring, sliding between the frame members 5 and 5a and theguides 27a and 28a, respectively, will provide a seal in the mannerabove described.

An air inlet 48 may be located in any suitable place in the motor andcompressor chamber 47, so that air will be blown by the fan 22a throughthe ring 23a directly through the coil 42a located in the opposite endof the air-tight chamber 46.

With this construction it will be seen that only the airtight chamber 46will be pressurized or vacuumized, as the case may be, while the chamber47, in which the motor and compressor are located, is neitherpressurized nor vacuumized.

With this construction one or more wall panels may be removed from thehousing to permit access to the motor and/or compressor, and adjustmentsmay be made upon the same while the motor continues to operate, thuspermitting the adjustments to be made under actual working conditions.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchwords are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to bebroadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, theoperation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and theadvantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and usefulconstruction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious tothose skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an air conditionercomprising a housing, a motor located in the housing and having a shaft,a fan upon the motor shaft and means for vertically adjusting the motor,said air seal comprising a ring surrounding the fan, means rigidlyconnecting said ring to the motor, a slidable plate having an openingtherein, the ring being located through said opening, means connectingthe ring to the slidable plate at said opening, the slidable plateforming a wall portion of the housing, and guide means on the housingforming a seal for the edges of the slidable plate.

2. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an air conditionercomprising a housing, a motor located in the housing and having a shaft,a fan upon the motor shaft and means for vertically adjusting the motor,said air seal comprising a ring surrounding the fan, bars rigidlyconnecting said ring to the motor, a slidable plate having an openingtherein, the ring being located through said opening, means connectingthe ring to the slidable plate at said opening, the slidable plateforming a wall portion of the housing, and guide means on the housingforming a seal for the edges of the slidable plate.

3. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an air conditionercomprising a housing, a motor located in the housing and having a Shaft,a fan upon the motor shaft, a platform upon which the motor is mounted,means hingedly mounting one end of the platform, and means forvertically adjusting the other end of the platform, said air sealcomprising a ring surrounding the fan, means rigidly connecting saidring to the motor platform, a slidable plate having an opening therein,the ring being located through said opening, means connecting the ringto the slidable plate at said opening, the slidable plate forming a wallportion of the housing, and guide means on the housing forming a sealfor the edges of the slidable plate.

4. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an the slidable plateforming a wall portion of the housing,

and guide means on the housing forming a seal for the edges of theslidable plate.

5. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an air conditionerincluding a housing comprising frame members and wall panels connectedthereto, a motor located in the housing and having a shaft, a fan uponthe motor shaft, and means for vertically adjusting the motor, said airseal comprising a ring surrounding the fan, means rigidly connecting thering to the motor, a slidable plate having an opening therein, the ringbeing located through said opening, means connecting the ring to theslidable plate at said opening, the slidable plate forming a wallportion of the housing, and guide members upon certain of the framemembers forming a seal for the edges of the slidable plate.

6. An air seal for an adjustable motor mount in an air conditionerincluding a housing comprising frame members and wall panels connectedthereto, a motor located in the housing and having a shaft, a fan uponthe motor shaft, and means for vertically adjusting the motor, said airseal comprising a ring surrounding the fan, means rigidly connecting thering to the motor, a slidable plate having an opening therein, the ringbeing located through said opening, means connecting the ring to theslidable plate at said opening, the slidable plate forming a wallportion of the housing, and angle guide members upon certain of theframe members forming a seal for the edges of the slidable plate.

7. In an air conditioner comprising a housing, a transversely disposedpartition wall dividing the housing into two chambers, one of saidchambers being air-tight and pressurized, heat exchange coils forming aportion of the outer walls of said air-tight pressurized chamber, amotor located in the other chamber and having a shaft, a fan upon themotor shaft, there being an air inlet for the fan in said other chamber,a ring surrounding the fan, means rigidly connecting said ring to themotor, a plate forming a portion of said transverse partition wall,there being an opening in said plate, the ring being located throughsaid opening, means connecting the ring to the plate at said opening,and sealing means at the edges of said plate.

8. In an air conditioner comprising a housing, a transversely disposedpartition wall dividing the housing into two chambers, one of saidchambers being air-tight and pressurized, heat exchange coils forming aportion of the outer walls of said air-tight pressurized chamber, amotor located in the other chamber and having a shaft, means forvertically adjusting the motor, a fan upon the motor shaft, there beingan air inlet for the fan in said other chamber, a ring surrounding thefan, means rigidly connecting said ring to the motor, a slidable plateforming a portion of said transverse partition wall, there being anopening in said plate, the ring being located through said opening,means connecting the ring to the plate at said opening, and guide meansproviding a seal at the edges of said plate.

9. In an air conditioner comprising a housing, a transversely disposedpartition wall dividing the housing into two chambers, one of saidchambers being air-tight and pressurized, heat exchange coils forming aportion of the outer walls of said air-tight pressurized chamber, amotor located in the other chamber and having a shaft, a compressorlocated in said other chamber above the motor,

a shaft on the compressor, pulleys upon the motor shaft and compressorshaft, belt means located around said pulleys, means for verticallyadjusting the motor to keep said belt means taut, a fan upon the motorshaft, there being an air inlet for the fan in said other chamber, aring surrounding the fan, means rigidly connecting said ring to themotor, a slidable plate forming a portion of said transverse partitionwall, there being an opening in said slidable plate, the ring beinglocated through plate at said opening, and guide means providing a sealat the edges of said slidable plate.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent saidopening, means connecting the ring to the slidable 10 2,981,083

Greiner Sept. 25, 1956 Niederer Mar. 3, 1959 Greiner a..-" June 7, 1960Miller Apr. 25, 19.61

